When to Harvest Sweet Potatoes When to harvest sweet potatoes depends largely on the seasonal growing. If the growing season has been good with adequate water and sunshine, harvesting sweet potatoes should begin about 100 to 110 days after planting depending on the variety. A good rule of thumb is to watch for the first signs of yellowing leaves. Usually this occurs in late September or early October before the first frost....
Getting Comfortable with Grafting Grafting is the process of joining two pieces of material from two different plants together so that they grow to form a single composite plant. Like rooting cuttings, grafting is a form of asexual plant propagation. Many gardeners who are comfortable with cuttings may hesitate to try their hand at the ancient propagation practice of grafting. In grafting, each piece of plant is given a name. The bottom portion that contains a root system is called the “rootstock....
Creating a Cosmetic Garden Herbal and botanical extracts in beauty products have become increasingly popular. I know that I have paid a little extra for hair or skin products simply because the label boasts being made of this or that plant extract. Odds are, most of us are already growing some plants that have healing benefits for skin or hair in our gardens or flowerbeds and don’t even know it. You don’t need to be a botanist or chemist to take advantage of these natural beauty products – dried, ground plants can be added right to the beauty products you already have....
These impressive ornamental specimens grow outside in sheltered location in USDA zones 8 through 11. Colocasia is a swamp plant that develops a hardy root system under the water. For this reason, elephant ears make great landscape plants in, around, or near water features in the garden. In the chillier northern areas, elephant ear is treated as an annual wherein the bulbs or tubers of the plant are dug up and stored through the winter and then replanted in the spring....
If you live in the northern two thirds of the United States or somewhere with the same climate, you should give them a try. Beware though; once you have Jerusalem artichokes growing in your garden, you’ll have a hard time changing your mind! Jerusalem Artichoke Plants Jerusalem artichoke plants (Helianthus tuberous) are perennial relatives of the sunflower. The edible portions are the fat, misshapen tubers that grow below ground. Tubers are dug in the fall....
Regional Garden Chores for July Gardening in different regions varies according to where you live. Here are short lists of “to-dos” for each region. Northwest July is the time those in the Pacific Northwest are happiest with their climate. The weather is moderate versus sweltering, and humidity is low. What to do in July in the Northwest? Weed, weed, and keep weeding to give your plants space to grow.Deadhead annual and perennial flowers as blossoms fade to support new blossom growth....
Japanese persimmon tree also goes by the name kaki tree (Diospyros kaki), oriental persimmon, or Fuyu persimmon. Kaki tree cultivation is known for its slow growing, small tree size and production of sweet, juicy non-astringent fruit. The growing of kaki Japanese persimmons was introduced into Australia around 1885 and brought to the USA in 1856. Today, kaki tree cultivation occurs throughout southern and central California and specimens are commonly found in Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, Southeast Virginia and northern Florida....
Sooty Canker Tree Disease Identification Sooty canker is one of many tree diseases that affect bark, particularly on the branches of a tree, though it can affect the trunk of a tree as well. The symptoms of sooty canker are: Wilt of leaves, more dramatically during hot or windy weather Small leaves Brown leaves Early cankers will be continually moist, brown areas Bark cracks or falls away from the tree, which normally reveals the later black cankers Later cankers on the branches will look like soot or as if someone has set fire to small parts of the tree...
How to Avoid Pests and Diseases Of Houseplants Buy only clean and healthy plants. This reduces the risk of pests and diseases infecting not only your new plants but your existing ones. If you’re not sure a particular plant is healthy, isolate it for a few weeks, taking care of it and waiting to see if its health seems to improve. This is better than introducing it to a room where there are other plants and chancing that they all become infected....
Debunking Daddy Longlegs Myths Fear of spiders is one of the most common phobias in the United States. Anywhere from 3 to 15% of the American population is estimated to have arachnophobia. But are daddy longlegs spiders? While they do have eight legs and belong to the arachnid subclass, they are part of the Opiliones order and are not considered true spiders. True spiders make venom and silk, two secretions daddy longlegs are incapable of producing....
How to Grow Macadamia Nut Trees Who wouldn’t want to try growing a macadamia tree? These ornamental plants provide a lovely foil for other tropical vegetation and add interest with glossy leaves and thick clusters of white to pink flowers. Northern gardeners will have to keep their plant in a heated greenhouse for much of the year and container grown plants are not likely to produce nuts, but the attractive tree is enough of a boon as a tropical accent....
Recognizing Light Plane Tree Winter Damage In winter, plane trees lose their leaves, become dormant, and basically wait until spring for any growth. In some cases, new spring growth has already begun when a frost comes along, and the new shoots get damaged. It is best to wait and see once temperatures warm up before drastically pruning the plant. The only time plane tree winter care should involve pruning is when there is a broken limb that may be hazardous....
Choosing Plants That Evolve with the Seasons Make the most of plants and seasonal changes to create a garden that is stunning any time of year. Plants That Change Dramatically in Winter If you live in a zone with cold winters, you may be limited as to what your garden will host in the winter months. However, there are some options for winter color and texture in a variety of climates:...
Care of Christmas Plants Surprisingly, many holiday plants are tropical plants. This means that the care of these Christmas plants is more like caring for a houseplant than a plant meant for the cold and snow. All of the Christmas plant types listed below should be treated as tender plants and should not be left where cold drafts could blow on them. Christmas Plants and Flowers Poinsettia – Perhaps the most recognizable flower for Christmas is the poinsettia....
Whether cottage, modern, or unique landscape styles are your taste, a properly designed landscape will display your style with unity. Your landscape should be appealing and inviting, not an eyesore for the neighborhood. Read on for common issues with landscape design and how to avoid them. Problems in Landscape Design Overuse of common plants. With over 400,000 species of flowering plants in the world, it often amazes me that no one can seem to find anything to put around trees besides a ring of hostas....
How Do I Harvest Moonflower Seeds? Moonflower is a photo-responsive plant, which opens its flowers in the evening only, while its cousin, morning glory, only opens its blooms early in the day. Both produce rampant, twining vines, and lovely old-fashioned flowers. While not winter hardy in most zones, moonflower grows so easily from seed that it will reestablish itself quickly when temperatures rise, and seedlings take off. The persistent seed pods make harvesting moonflower seeds simple, and the seed can remain viable for two years if stored properly....
What is Rejuvenation Pruning? Rejuvenation pruning is the removal of old, overgrown limbs so that the plant can grow new, vigorous branches in their place. Plants that require rejuvenation can be hard pruned or pruned gradually. Hard pruning involves cutting the shrub off to a height of 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30.5 cm.) above the ground and allowing it to regrow. The disadvantages of this type of pruning are that not all shrubs tolerate drastic cutting, and, until the plant regrows, you are left with an unsightly stub....
Pumpkin Disease Identification It is important to identify as soon as possible any diseases affecting the pumpkin crop. Early detection will enable you to treat the symptoms early on and, hopefully, save the crop. It is helpful to not only recognize the symptoms of infectious diseases but also to know how they spread and survive. Diseases afflicting pumpkins may be foliar in nature or diseases of the fruit. Foliar disease often opens the plant up to other infectious diseases as well as sunscald....
Red Fall Leaves Fall is one of the most beautiful and colorful seasons. It is a time for leaf maturity, but the death of the foliage is presaged by a gloriously painted landscape for several months. Many of the most colorful leaves are on the trees that turn red in autumn. Red-colored tree leaves provide a startling contrast to many of the more common colors in nature. The drab browns, humdrum grays and blacks, and non-descript greens of the average landscape are suddenly transformed by a wild slash of intense fiery color....
Most parts of fungi are microscopic. Some species produce linear strings of cells called hyphae, which by themselves are too narrow to see; others, called yeasts, grow as single cells. Fungal hyphae travel invisibly through soil and colonize food resources. However, many fungal species use hyphae to form larger structures that you might find in your garden or yard. Even mushrooms consist of many hyphae closely packed together. We’ve all seen mushrooms, but observant gardeners might be able to identify another fungal structure, the rhizomorph....
